The Night He Came to Sunnydale
by Benji The Vampire Confuser
Summary: Third Season. Sunnydale English teacher Kerri Tate always gets on edge around Halloween. The scoobies are about to find out why.
1. Chapter 1

**The Night He Came to Sunnydale**

**by Benji: The Vampire Confuser**

**Part of the Omniverse Project**

_Almost everyone belongs to Joss Whedon. Except for the folks from Halloween. Those I also do not own._

* * *

**Sunnydale California**

**October 27th 1998**

"I heard she's got some dark secret." Xander said.

"What?" Willow asked. "What makes you say that?"

"Nothing in particular." he said. "It's just a rumour going around that's all."

Buffy and Oz soon joined the conversation. "What I don't get," Buffy said, "Is, Ms. Tate has been teaching here for years. Why is this rumour just starting now?"

"Actually," Oz said, "I understand it starts every October."

"Yeah that's right." Buffy realized. "She does tend to get freaked out around this time of year."

They're conversation stopped, as Ronnie, the new security guard passed by.

"Hundreds of demon attacks and only now do they hire a security guard." Xander muttered. "Though I have to admit. If I were a Demon, that guy would make me think twice." Ronnie was a bald black man. And in a predominantly white community, that was enough to make him formidable.

The man nodded to them as he passed. When he was gone, Xander began whispering to his friends.

"You'll never believe what I heard about HIM." he said in an exaggerated gay voice.

"Do tell," Buffy encouraged.

"He writes romance novels."

"What?" Willow and Buffy didn't get the joke.

"I'm not kidding. I passed his office earlier and he was reading his latest chapter to his wife."

"Weird." Buffy muttered. Suddenly, her watch alarm beeped. She jumped in surprise. "Aah! Oh, time for my appointment."

"Appointment?"

"Yeah. Snyder said that just because the old guidance counselor died, doesn't mean I can get away with reneging on our deal."

"You still need to see a counsellor?" Xander asked, slightly appalled.

"Yeah." Buffy said. "That was part of the conditions."

"Well good luck." Oz said. "I hear he's nice."

"He looks like the guy from Chicago Hope." Xander said.

"You watch Chicago Hope?"

* * *

Buffy entered the Counselor's office. She found him sitting in at his desk, looking at her file.

Will Brennan glanced up at Buffy as she entered, and closed her file. He smiled at her and gestured for her to sit. "Welcome Ms. Summers." he said. "How are you this fine day?"

"Oh, okay I guess." Buffy said.

Will took in her defensive posture, and the hesitant note in her voice. Not uncommon. He felt he should set her at ease. "I think I should tell you that I've heard a lot of horror stories about you from Snyder." he told her. "But, while I have no doubt that there's a grain of truth to his accusations, all evidence points to the fact that you've stopped more fights than you've started."

Buffy felt a little better. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

Xander surreptitiously looked around, putting on an act for himself, making what was about to happen seem more important. Charlie played along, both being pretty silly guys. And somehow they had both landed the hottest girls in school as their girlfriends. No one was truly sure how, least of all them.

"You got the stuff?" Xander asked him.

"Yeah," Charlie said, pulling a brown paper bag from under his coat, "You got the cash?"

Xander pulled a five dollar bill from his pocket, and they made the exchange.

"All right," Charlie exalted, "Dinner with Sarah here I come."

Xander reached into the bag and pulled out one of Charlie's Mothers' homemade cookies. It was an arrangement the two had made years ago in seventh grade. They weren't exactly friends, but they had an understanding. No one knew where Xander got the cookies, and Sarah never found out where Charlie was getting the money for their dates.

* * *

"Hey Willow!" someone called. The Redheaded witch in training turned to find a blond girl coming towards her. "Hey Molly." she greeted.

Willow and Molly knew each other about the same way that most people knew each other in High School. By face, and sometimes by name. They weren't friends, not even really acquaintances. But they interacted every now and then.

Willow knew most people in school, since she was the one everyone came to for help in whatever class they needed help with. For Molly, it was history.

"Let me guess," Willow asked, "Revolution got you down?"

Molly sighed. "Just trying to keep them separate in my mind." she said. "Mind if I ask you some questions?"

"I deem you worthy of my training." Willow said sagely, then grinned. "What's the trouble?"

* * *

Cordelia spotted an old friend across the way, and headed over to talk to her. Sarah had been part of Cordy's clique until she'd started dating Charlie Big Nose in tenth grade. Now that she was dating Xander, she found herself in the same boat.

Sarah didn't look surprised when Cordy came to talk to her, and she didn't look like she was holding a grudge either. For which Cordelia was glad.

"Hey Cordy." Sarah greeted calmly. "How are you holding up?"

Cordy decided to skip the small talk. "I need to ask you something." she said.

Sarah shrugged. "Shoot."

"What is it that keeps you and Charlie together?"

Sarah thought for a moment, then shot her old friend a wicked grin. "He's great in bed."

_Damn,_ Cordy thought. _Me and Xander haven't gone that far yet. So I'm still closer to an answer._

* * *

"So your wife supports you in this endeavour?" Oz asked Ronnie. Oz had a free period, or so he told Ronnie. Ronnie didn't believe him, but Oz seemed like a cool kid, so he forgave him the transgression. Ronnie was "walking perimeter" a phrase meant to make his routine more interesting, and Oz was accompanying him.

"For the most part." Ronnie told him. "But her patience is starting to run out."

To Be Continued…


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

**Sunnydale California**

**October 28th 1998**

"So what are you doing on Halloween?" Faith asked, as she and Buffy patrolled.

"Enjoying a nice relaxing night in."

"That's it? No parties? It's Halloween, all the nasties stay in. Why not have some fun?"

"But your kind of fun is just as exhausting as slaying."

"If you do it right." Faith smirked. "Maybe you're on to something though. Just stay in. Course, first I'd have to find a guy to stay in with."

"Somehow I doubt you'd have much trouble there."

"Well thanks B, you're not to bad yourself. Hey you should find someone to spend the night with."

"Not all of us live in motels. I don't exactly have the most private living arrangement."

"So stay out with someone, then come back late. You could always say you were training."

Buffy thought about that. "You know, that might just work." she said. "My Mom never talks to Giles so..." She grimaced. Lying so she could have fun didn't feel as fun as it used to. "Well I'll think about it." Not that just staying at home and hanging out with Xander and Willow didn't have it's charms. Few places felt as safe as home these days.

**Langley, Illinois**

Pamela Whittington parked in her driveway, and got out of her car. It had been a long day, and she was just glad that it was over. An unlit cigarette dangled loosely from her lips. She headed to the porch, digging through her purse in search of a light...

CRUNCH!

Pamela stopped in her tracks, and looked down at her feet to discover glass scattered across the porch. She looked at the porch light hanging above her head. A shattered light bulb occupied the socket. The front door was slightly ajar. Her blood went cold. She pushed on it gently. The door swung open freely, revealing the darkened interior of her house.

"Shit..." she muttered. Her long day was about to get even longer. She dropped her purse and darted across into the neighbour's yard. Running up to the porch, she pounded furiously on the front door, decorated with a cardboard skeleton. No answer. She pounded again, harder. Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing a figure looming in the doorway. Eyes glared out at her from behind a hockey mask, hiding the figure's face.

Pamela gasped, stumbling backward before she recovered from the shock.

"Hey Miss Whittington," Jimmy Howell, the gangly teenager said, removing the hockey mask. He wore a jersey, and had skates slung over his shoulder. "What's up?"

"My blood pressure." Pamela said irritably. "You scared the shit out of me."

Jimmy shrugged apologetically. "Oh, sorry. I'm on my way to the rink and-"

"I think someone broke into my house." she interrupted.

The boy's eyes lit up at the prospect of something interesting happening in their sleepy little town. "No shit?"

"No shit." Most adults would have told him to watch his language. But she decided that would have been hypocritical of her. After all she'd just cursed to his face.

Minutes later she sat in his living room, smoking, while the boy talked to the police on the phone. He talked for a few minutes, then hung up. "They said to give 'em fifteen minutes, they'll send someone by." With that, he grabbed up his hockey stick and headed for the door.

"Jimmy what are you doing?"

"Checking out your place." he said casually.

"No," she insisted. "Wait for the police." There was no way of knowing whether they were still in her house, and she didn't want him getting hurt.

Jimmy however, was determined. He was already running late. "And miss the big game? No way."

He led the way to her house, and headed up to the door. Pamela, not believing she was letting the kid do this, stood on the side walk, watching.

Pieces of shattered light bulb crunched under his foot as he approached the door. Suddenly, in the dark of night and the silence of the house, this didn't seem like such a hot idea. But there was no way he was going to back down now.

He pushed the door open with the tip of his hockey stick, and peered into the darkness beyond. His stick at the ready, he cautiously entered the house. "Okay let's not anybody mess with me here!" he called, more to make himself feel better than to intimidate anyone. "Jimmy's already been suspended five times for getting a little crazy with the stick!" He slammed the stick onto the floor for emphasis.

Room by room, he looked for intruders. Finally, he found signs of the intrusion. A back bedroom, converted into an office, had been ransacked.

"Oh shit." Jimmy said. File cabinets were overturned, pictures hanging crooked, papers strewn all over the floor.

Having checked the entire house, and finding no one, Jimmy relaxed and entered the kitchen. He took a cookie from the cookie jar, and, opening the fridge, took a swig from the milk carton.

Silently, behind him, the closet door was swinging open. With a crash, the ironing board fell out, scaring him. He swung his stick wildly, in a panic. And hit the pot rack above his head. When the debris stopped falling, he sheepishly left the room.

"Nothing to fear," he said, smiling as he emerged from the house. "The coast is clear."

"You sure?"

"Totally. I checked all the rooms and closets-"

"Nothing's missing?"

Jimmy wouldn't have known if anything was. He'd never been in her house. "Don't think so." he told her. "But they sure did a real number on your office. Crap everywhere."

"My office?" Why in hell would anyone ransack her office? She was a nurse. Unless they thought she'd had some prescription medication or something?

"Yeah." Jimmy continued. "Oh, and they messed up your kitchen pretty good too. Goodnight." he left quickly before she could ask any more questions.

Shrugging, she went into her house, not looking forward to having to clean up.

Immediately upon entering, she locked and bolted the door, and leaned against it for a moment, enjoying the feel of it's solidarity at her back. She flicked the light switch, but nothing happened.

"Christ Jimmy," she swore irritably. "Didn't you check the god-damn lights?" Still muttering, her irritation growing by the moment, Pamela headed for the laundry room and the fuse box. She tried several times to get the light's working again, but still had no success. Pamela continued to swear, and got a flash light from a cabinet and headed for her office. Time to assess the damage. What she couldn't figure out, was what anyone would want in her office.

She sighed when she saw the wreckage. She wasn't looking forward to cleaning all this. Her flash light illuminated the mess as she carefully stepped over the files strewn across the floor.

Strangely, she found a single file left in relatively neat order, resting on her desk. Puzzled, and at the same time, anticipating solving this mystery, she picked up the file. The index read KERI TATE, the folder was empty. It took a moment for the impact of her discovery to dawn on her.

Keri Tate, that was what Lauri Strode had changed her name to! Of a sudden, it all hit her. Why only her office had been searched, why nothing was missing. The proximity to Halloween. Was it possible? He'd burned! Loomis had killed him! The blood drained from her face as she dropped the folder from her numb hand. Gasping, she rushed for the phone. But then something stopped her. A sound in the darkness. She was not alone in the house.

Her terror mounted as she crept into the hallway, praying that it was just her imagination. The front door gaped wide open. Fear lent speed to her flight as she ran from the house, and to Jimmy's. Not bothering to knock, she burst into the house.

Closing the door behind her, she took a deep breath to calm herself. From the door, she looked for any sign that Jimmy was still home. She could hear a television somewhere in the house.

"Jimmy? You still there?"

She left the doorway and headed for the den, where she found Jimmy sitting in an easy chair watching TV. From her vantage point she could only see his legs.

"Goddamnit Jimmy, someone's still in my house!" she said, and spun the chair around.

Jimmy was beyond caring about who was or was not in her house. He was beyond caring about anything. A hockey skate was embedded in his face, the blade slicing deep into his flesh, from forehead to chin. His final moments broadcast by his eyes, wide open in terror. Blood cascaded down the front of his jersey.

She screamed and ran back for the door, but found that the china cabinet had been pushed in front of it, blocking her way. Half terrified, and half pissed off, she tried desperately to push it out of the way, but couldn't budge it. Giving up, she turned back into the house for and escape route.

In the kitchen she found the back door, and wrenched it open.

There he was, in full glory. She'd only seen him once before, briefly. And that was sans mask and jumpsuit. Then he'd been frightening enough, and he hadn't even done anything to her. Just scared her out of her car so he could take it. Somehow she knew he wasn't going to let her off so easily this time. He wouldn't want her to warn Laurie.

Pamela screamed, at once both terrified and despairing. She grabbed a knife from the counter and ran.

As calmly as ever, Michael Myers followed her. His breath was even, his stride unhurried.

As she reached the living room, Pamela saw flashing red and blue lights out the window. Sudden hope flared in her heart, and she ran to the window. Outside, the police had arrived at the nurse's house. Two cops were walking up her driveway. Quickly, she tried to open the window, but the lock was stuck. Almost sobbing, she pounded on the glass.

"Help! Goddamnit! Over here! God please!"

Behind her, Michael Myers arrived, grabbing an iron poker from the fireplace.

Desperately, Pamela swung at the man with her knife.

"Stay the fuck away from me!"

Without missing a beat, Myers swung the poker, and broke Pamela's arm, sending the knife clattering to the floor. She dropped to her knees, crying out in pain. But her pain didn't last long. Michael brought the poker down on her head, driving the tip into her skull.

The officers climbed the porch steps and moved into the house. Neither looked either to the left or to the right. If they had, they would have seen, through the window, Michael Myers repeatedly stabbing Pamela with the poker.

_To Be Continued..._


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

**Sunnydale, California**

**October 29th 1998**

John Tate stood in the kitchen getting ready for school. Which as usual mostly involved making coffee. It helped not only with staying awake in his morning classes, but also with dealing with the fact that his mother taught at his school.

"Caffeine is not a food group." his mother informed him, coming in. It was an old argument. Even when he'd hit his growth spurt he hadn't been all that interested in breakfast. He preferred big lunches and dinners. Also she didn't like him putting chemicals into his body.

"We're out of Percadan." he retorted.

Touche. But that was different. She needed the medication to control the nightmares and anxiety that plagued her otherwise. He just drank coffee to stay awake.

She didn't feel like arguing today though, so she let it go. "You got mail." she said, changing the subject. "It's from your dad." She handed him the envelope. The size and shape left little doubt as to it's contents.

John resignedly opened it. He had little attachment to his father, who had left when he was rather young. He heard from him rarely, and saw him even more rarely. As expected, it was a birthday card. Happy 17th Birthday it said. There was money inside, which was always appreciated.

"Birthday card." John announced wryly.

"Only two months late." Keri smirked. "I'm impressed."

"The cash is good. It'll come in handy in Yosemite."

"You're not going." Keri kept her tone light, but she suspected that her desire not to argue was going to go unfulfilled.

"Yes I am." he countered. His own tone was calm, also light, but determined. Keri recognized that tone. Yep. Argument. Though she did notice that he'd poured himself a bowl of cereal. Was he trying to negotiate?

"No." she said, more firmly. "You're not." She handed him the milk.

He poured the milk. "Yes," he said, his tone also more firm. "I am. And with your full blessing. And you know why? Because today is the day. I can feel it. Today is the day that you realize, that I'm 17 years old. And your over protectiveness and paranoia is inhibiting my growth process."

Well look at him with his big words and psycho-babble. She was so proud of him. She still had no intention of letting him out of her sight though. Not this close to _that_ night.

"You wanna go camping I'll take you camping."

Yeah, to John's mind that was not a workable compromise. It wasn't his fault they hadn't asked her to be one of the chaperones.

"I don't want to go with you." he said. He wanted to go with his friends. And his girlfriend especially.

"Sorry." Keri suspected Molly was a big reason he wanted to go. And that was one of the many reasons she did not want him to. Teenagers alone, in an isolated area around Halloween? She couldn't think of a more dangerous situation.

"Dad would let me go."

Keri gritted her teeth. "Your father, is an abusive, irrational, methadone addict."

"And who would attract someone like that?"

Low blow John. Low blow. "Ouch." she said, just short of snapping at him.

"And just think Mom, he left you."

She shut the refrigerator door a fraction harder than necessary.

"Look John, I know you get your smart mouth from my side of the family, so I'll give you a break. But point check. You're going too far."

"Mom, help me out here. I need a little open air. I know it's almost _the_ day-"

"Oh really? And what day is that?" she snapped.

He paused, debating whether to continue to push this. "Halloween." he said at last. The word hung on the air between them. And even he felt the chill he saw in his mother's eyes. It was an almost taboo word.

"I hadn't noticed." she lied badly.

"Mom we're through with all that." he said soothingly. Sometimes it seemed like they were taking turns raising the other. He certainly did his share of comforting and reassuring. "We really are." He took his bowl of cereal to his room then, to get his bag.

Keri tried to center herself. She had a class to teach today after all.

* * *

"Yosemite. Isn't that a cartoon character?" Buffy asked, looking at the permission slip in her hand. Giles gave her an incredulous look. "How is it possible I know more about your own country than you do?"

"You have to work harder at it." she smirked. "I'm teasing Giles, mom and dad took me to Yosemite all the time when I was a kid."

"Thank God. I was beginning to think perhaps those blond jokes might actually be true."

"Hey."

"Why don't you go Buffy?" Willow suggested. The Scoobies, as they often were, were gathered in the library. "Halloween is quiet time for Vampires and stuff. You could go on a vacation."

Buffy grimaced. "Camping? No thanks. I grew out of that a long time ago."

Cordelia whole heartedly agreed. "Plus it's gonna be cold. Now if we were staying in a hotel or something I could see it."

"Never thought I'd see the day where you two agreed on something." Xander mused.

"Yeah, it's kinda scary."

Xander, Willow and Oz of course had opted out themselves. This past summer when Buffy had been, on sabbatical as Giles had once tactfully put it, they had had a rather unpleasant camping experience. "Well if we're gonna be here, why don't we do something?" Xander suggested.

"Shindig?" Oz guessed.

"What was it last time?" Cordelia asked.

"I think that wound up being a hootenanny."

"Is there something between Gathering and Shindig?"

"Well not at my house." Buffy said. "Last time didn't go so well."

"Yeah it's funny how the living dead always manage to kill a party." Xander agreed. After a moment, they all looked at Giles.

"What?" he said helplessly. Then realization dawned on him. "No." he insisted. "Absolutely not. Not here."

They kept looking.

"And don't think you can change my mind either."

"Oh, of course not." Buffy said impishly.

**Boulder Colorado**

"I can't believe we got stuck with this job."

The dark van drove through the streets looking for a few good meals. Two Vampires rode in the front, with two more in the back.

"Yeah well you wanna eat on Halloween or don't you?"

"Whatever. Hey Annie?" He turned to the girl lounging in the back seat.

"Yo."

"Ready to play the damsel?"

"Sure thing."

The van pulled over, and the two Vampires in the back got out. Annie turned to the boy, who's name was Tommy. "So, you wanna do the usual thing or switch it up?"

"As much as I love being stalked by you Annie, I'm pretty sure folks are more likely to fall for the damsel in distress act. Not many people are gonna come to the rescue of a guy stumbling down the street screaming 'help me'."

Annie sighed. "Yeah. It's weird how the gender roles still remain the same. Girls still aren't supposed to ask boys out either."

"I blame the media. There just aren't enough forward girls represented. Shy guys like me who like being pursued aren't-"

"Hey!" the driver of the van, Marcus, shouted. "Save the Whedonesque banter for later kids, we don't have all night."

"It's more Kevin Smith than Whedon but point taken." Tommy turned to Annie. "Alright lets get this show on the road. Grr. Argh."

Annie snickered, then turned to run. After getting a good enough head start, she turned the run into a pathetic stumbling gait, casting fearful glances over her shoulder. The plan was to attract would be rescuers to her side, where she could knock them out and then she and Tommy could load them into the back of the van. They would do this for a few hours then head back home, with plenty of food for Halloween. It was a plan that had served them well for a long time.

Tonight their luck would change.

Tommy followed after, and soon enough, he spotted someone. But they weren't coming to Annie's rescue. The shape seemed to just be standing there in the alley. Watching her. Apparently they had a weirdo on their hands. It happened sometimes. Someone who rather than wishing to come to the rescue of the damsel in distress or flee whatever danger was apparent, would instead try to take advantage of the situation.

Those could be just as, if not more fun than the heroes. There were few things as satisfying as watching the expression on such a person's face change from whatever kind of loony self assurance they had when they realized they were faced with a _real_ monster.

Tommy whistled, signaling Annie to cut the damsel act for a bit. Then he walked casually up to the watching figure. As he got closer, the shape stepped out of the alley to face him.

The proximity to Halloween made the creepy Shatner mask not quite so unusual, as it might otherwise be.

"Hey man. You know the big night isn't for a night or two."

No answer. The shape just stood there, looking at him. Breathing calmly, steadily. In, and out. Tommy noticed something he hadn't before. Glinting in the street light, was the blade of a large kitchen knife.

Ooh, this would be fun indeed. Normally Tommy would draw something like this out. But the mask, and the knife, he just had to. He grinned, slipping into his game face, fangs bared, yellow demonic eyes glaring.

The man before him was supposed to react in surprise. Terror even. Maybe even some false bravado. But Tommy found himself a little unnerved by the reaction he got. Nothing but a curious tilt of the head. _Okay. I'm a Vampire and _I'm _creeped out._

Annie had stopped to see what was going on. Ah, a weirdo. Those were fun. But what was going on? Tommy was in Vamp Face, and said weirdo wasn't doing anything but_ cutting Tommy's throat?!_

Tommy gagged as what little blood he had left spilled from the sudden wound. One hand going instinctively to cover it. The look of shock on his face changed to one of rage, and he lashed out, seizing the figure by the shoulders, slamming him against the wall hard enough to kill.

But the figure, though staggered, did not fall. Tommy had barely enough time to register this fact before his intended victim grabbed him by the throat, and smashed his head into the same brick wall. Then again. And again.

Annie was frozen in horror as Tommy's head was reduced to pulp, then finally destroyed, her friend's body turning to dust before her eyes.

Then the figure turned to look at her.

"Oh shit no." she gasped, turning to run for the van. Somehow they had run afoul of some kind of Demon. They had to get out of here!

Behind her, the silent figure began to walk after her.

Thanks to Vampiric speed, Annie reached the van quickly. The passenger, a fairly new Vampire named Bill, opened the side door. "What's going on? Where's Tommy?"

"Tommy's dead. We have to get-"

She didn't finish. From seemingly out of nowhere, a hand grabbed Annie's hair, and another hand, this one holding a large knife slit her throat. Bill stared in shock as her assailant yanked back on her hair. Her throat had been cut so deeply that the masked man was able to rip off her head, reducing her to dust.

"Jesus!" It was not a common exclamation for a Vampire to make. Particularly an older one like Marcus. Bill tried to shut the door, but the masked man grabbed it and jerked it open. Going to 'game face' the Vampire dove out of the van, tackling the assailant to the ground.

Marcus watched, fascinated as the two rolled. Somehow Bill failed to retain the upper hand, and soon their mysterious attacker was on top, stabbing and slashing at Bill over and over.

Finally, leaving Bill behind to heal, the man rose and came for Marcus. Marcus was no brash young demon to rush into battle, or be intimidated by a slightly over powered human, or even a demon with a thing for knives.

He reached for the tire iron he kept by his seat and got out of the van. "What do you want?" he asked the silent figure. He got no answer. He hadn't fully been expecting one.

Moving with blinding speed, Marcus knocked the knife from his opponent's hand, and pressed the advantage. He battered the man mercilessly, sending him reeling into an alley. Another massive blow to the head knocked him sprawling into a pile of crates, smashing them to splinters.

Cautiously, Marcus approached. He kicked the limp hand of the man. No response.

"Alright now let's see if you're a psychotic human or a demon." He reached out to pull the mask from the prone body.

Suddenly, the man's hand closed on a broken off slat from one of the crates and neatly staked Marcus through the heart with it. He watched the aged Vampire disintegrate, and then looked down a the stake, head tilting curiously.

Bill was starting to recover from his many injuries, and stared in horror at what had happened. By the reaction, he could swear that this guy, this thing, had had no idea the wooden stake would kill Marcus. He'd just reached for the nearest convenient weapon.

The masked man rose, and walked to the van. His breathing continued, steady, calm. He got into the driver's seat and saw that the keys were in the ignition. Then he started the engine, and backed up over the still lying down Bill. His aim was off a bit, only crushing the rib cage. So he tried again, this time getting the head.

With all four victims dead, Michael Meyers headed west.

_to be continued..._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Sunnydale California**

**October 29th**

"I'm serious." Charlie grinned at John. "20 years from now you're still gonna be living with her. Probably running some creepy motel in the middle of nowhere." As they passed the pool table, he tapped Xander on the shoulder. "Hey we get next game okay?"

Xander nodded. As was usual for most Sunnydale youth, they were hanging out in the bronze. Charlie took a moment to admire the biker chick looking brunette playing against Xander. She smirked at at Charlie, and John elbowed him.

"Does this mean no Yosemite?" Sarah asked. "How can I get out of it?"

"Why don't you want to go?" Charlie asked her. He'd been kind of looking forward to getting away with his girlfriend for some romantic time in the woods.

"It's so lame. No, it's worse." She struggled for the words while they waited for the line at the bar to dwindle. "I went there like two summer's ago with my family...it's loathsome. No, even worse...it'll come to me. Wretched. No..."

John tuned her out. He ordered a drink for himself and for his girlfriend. He knew what she liked drink wise. After he got the drinks, he scanned the crowd for her. Finally he found her, looking a bit put out.

"Hey." he said, slipping one arm around her from behind, handing her a glass. "What's wrong?"

Molly started at being interrupted out of her reverie. "Oh, my dad flaked out on me again. Turns out I can't afford to go to Yosemite."

"You're not going?" Sarah said, arriving with her own drink. When Molly shook her head, Sarah sighed. "I'm not going."

"How are you going to get out of it?" Charlie inquired. He had plans on that score bubbling away already. "Hey wait, that means we could have a Halloween party, just the four of us. The whole school's going on this trip, it'll be empty. We could have, a roaming orgy." He wrapped his arms around Sarah who laughed.

"I love the way this man thinks."

**October 30th**

Snyder's speech was about what Buffy and her friends would have expected. It was somewhat akin to an old fashioned preacher's fire and brimstone. There was nothing about having fun, or even learning something. It was all about behaving themselves, and not getting into trouble. Or there would _be_ trouble.

They didn't listen. For one thing, none of them were going. What they did instead, was discuss, in whispered tones, plans for the Halloween party. The one Giles had finally consented to allowing them to have in the library. Provided it was just them. That of course was not a problem for them. After all, with the exception of Cordelia and Oz, they didn't really have any other friends. And they managed not to be too sad about that.

"Should we dress up?" Cordelia asked.

"Uhm, I'm thinking no." Buffy said apprehensively. Giles had assured them all that the spell that had turned them all into their costumes the year before had been a one time occurrence. And that Ethan was not one to repeat a prank. But they were still rather wary of Halloween costumes.

"Darn." Oz muttered good naturedly. "I have the perfect costume."

"Maybe next year." Willow grinned.

In all the "excitement", no one noticed Ms. Tate and the guidance counselor sneak out.

* * *

It was almost, but not quite time for Ronnie to go do his rounds. But what was occupying his mind at the moment, was the latest chapter of his debut romance novel.

Ever since he'd been little, Ronnie had wanted to be a writer. But he'd never been able to settle into a niche genre wise. Eventually he'd decided to try for romance. It was a genre he felt he could make a mark in.

If only he could get past the bane of writers both professional and amateur, writer's block.

"Mr. Jones."

Ronnie had been so lost in thought he hadn't heard Snyder approaching. Damn the little weasley guy gave him the creeps.

"Mr. Snyder." He allowed the guy a bit of a startled reaction. He suspected the man liked getting that.

Snyder eyed the note pad. "Since you're on the clock, I sincerely hope that's a list of possible problem students."

"Actually I'm on my lunch break sir." Ronnie lied. "But now that you mention it, I was about to get ready for my rounds."

"I think that would be a good idea." Snyder agreed, eyes narrowed. "I know you haven't been working here long Mr. Jones so I'll be clear. I run a tight ship. I won't stand for any shenanigans, and any that do happen, I'll hold you responsible. Am I understood?"

"Perfectly sir." _You creepy little leprechaun._

_

* * *

  
_

Angel eyed the wall hanging skeptically. "Buffy..."

Buffy smiled innocently. "I know, you guys don't celebrate Halloween but..."

The door sized poster was meant to hang on the outside of a door. It bore the picture of a witch stirring a cauldron.

"I thought it might brighten the place up."

Angel's expression didn't change. She sighed. "Okay so it's a bad joke. But points for trying right?"

"Could be worse. You could have gone with the Vampire."

"Please, give me some credit for taste."

Angel studied the decoration. "Don't let Willow find out you got that. Doubt she'd appreciate it."

"Well the holiday's just rife with stereotypes. Hey is that why Vampires and demons stay in on Halloween? They figure it's too tacky and commercial?"

"That's part of it I guess." Angel admitted. He went on to explain other reasons. Samhain being a very holy day once upon a time, people's guards being up more, wards and such.

Buffy only half listened. Her curiosity about the subject was very casual. This was mostly about getting him to talk. To sound normal and hopefully distract him from his ordeal. And maybe avoid the subject of when to tell her friends he was alive.

To Be Continued...


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**October 31st**

**Halloween**

When Buffy came into the library the next day she found a concerned Giles poring over a small stack of books. "Hey, no studying on the Slayer's day off Giles."

Giles glanced up. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."

"Is that why you sound worried?"

Giles sighed. "Faith found a demon early this morning."

"Is she okay?"

"I'm fine B." Faith said, coming in. She had coffee that Buffy suspected had been lifted from the teacher's lounge. "Didn't give me any trouble. Maybe cause somebody'd gotten there 'fore I did."

"What do you mean?"

"Thing was slashed up like it'd pissed off Jason Vorhees or something."

"But, that's a good thing right?" Buffy asked, confused. "Unless it was a good Demon? Are there good Demons?"

"Actually yes but they tend to keep a very low profile. Faith, is this the Demon you saw?" He held up a picture of a large, burly, very nasty looking Demon.

"That's him. Without the dozen or so holes he had in 'im."

Buffy frowned. "He looks tough."

"They are. It's a Gragnock, extremely dangerous."

"Which begs the question," Buffy guessed, "What could have done something like what Faith saw to it."

* * *

Trick or Treating was starting early this year. It was barely lunch time and already there were kids being shepherded by teachers and parents going from business to business getting candy. Keri Tate tried to ignore them as she locked her car, and headed for the restaurant. As she went, she found herself distracted by the display in a window.

Last year this store had sold costumes that had turned everyone into whatever they had dressed as. This year it was a jewelry store. And even as on edge as she was, Keri just couldn't help looking. It was less a desire for jewelry as it was for something normal. Something that didn't involve looking over her shoulder every October 31st.

Her glance caught movement in the reflection in the window and she looked up. A tall figure wearing a blue jumpsuit and a white death mask stepped around a tree and stood impassively behind her.

With a gasp, Keri whirled, only to find Will standing there.

"Jesus Will!" she started.

"Woah, sorry." Will caught her arm to steady her. "Sorry, I thought you saw me."

Abashed, she shook her head. "No."

"You see me now?" he teased her.

A few minutes later, Will gazed over the top of his coffee mug at the woman he was beginning to believe he was in love with. Part of it might be the bit of herself she kept to herself. As a counselor, he found it an intriguing challenge. At the moment, she was looking out the window, lost in her own thoughts, toying with her glass of wine. He knew she was a drinker. It wasn't like her to not touch her drink like that.

But then she always got like this around this time of year, he'd noticed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

After a moment, she sighed. "I think I'm losing John."

That wasn't quite what he'd expected, but he wasn't surprised.

"I think he's finally getting tired of my bullshit." She smirked tiredly at him. "How about you? Are you tired of my bullshit?"

"No I'm a counselor. I'm attracted to it."

"So, counsel me."

"Oh no, I know better. I love you just the way you are."

She leaned forward earnestly. "Do you think it's possible for something so tragic to happen to somebody that they never recover from it?"

"I like to believe that recovery is always possible." he countered. He'd find it hard to talk to some of the students who came to see him otherwise. So many of them had lost someone close to them.

His memory went back to his last session with Buffy. He wondered what had happened to her that she had run away? The reports he'd gotten were not even half the story he was sure.

Keri was silent, struggling with her conflicting desires to keep everything bottled up and appear strong, and to let this man she was falling so hard for in.

"There's a little, back story I haven't been entirely successful with." she managed finally.

"I know." he said patiently.

She went on with a litany of things she had tried to help herself get over what had happened to her all those years ago. "Everything."

"That's not everything." he told her.

"Oh yeah?" she challenged him, wiping still forming tears from her eyes. "What else is there?"

"I'm a really good listener."

* * *

Giles was discovering to his surprise, that he could quite get to like Halloween. He'd always enjoyed the irony of it all. That the night people most expected to be full of ghouls and goblins was the night they all stayed in. And then there was the candy.

He may not have the biggest sweet tooth there was, but he did have a secret stash of sweets from home.

So despite his objections to the children's insistence on a party in the library, he had gotten into the spirit of things. A bit.

While he and Willow attempted to narrow down the suspects in the killing of the demon, Faith raided the candy bowl and the others decorated.

Faith had a twizzler sticking out of the corner of her mouth as she looked through Giles' contribution to the festivities.

It turned out he had a secret stash of horror movies on VHS as well. He was intrigued by the Horror genre in general. Some movies he liked because he got to analyze just what the writers and directors had gotten right or wrong. Some he enjoyed because of his secret knowledge that they were based on true events. Some he enjoyed because they were complete fabrications. The fact that people could still come up with new things when the world was full of strangeness appealed to him. And then some were just fun.

"Plan 9 From Outer Space?" Faith grinned, taking the twizzler from her mouth.

"There's something to be said for someone who can gain fans for making bad movies." Giles said, smirking slightly. "Now Faith, describe to me again what it was you saw?"

Faith, even before taking up the mantle of Slayer, had lived in a somewhat bad part of town. So there were some things she could tell on first sight, that folks who'd lived comparatively sheltered lives like Buffy and the others wouldn't. Such as stab wounds.

"You're sure they weren't claw marks?" Willow asked.

"I'm a Slayer from the wrong side of the tracks." Faith retorted with a cocky grin. "Sorry I didn't get any pictures for ya."

Buffy looked over from where she was directing Oz and Xander in the fine art of streamer hanging.

"So we're not looking for a demon? It was some kind of demon hunter? As long as they're not after werewolves, where's the bad?"

"It would take someone with far greater strength than a normal person to be able to pierce even the chinks in a Gragnock's armor." Giles said.

"Neither of you have died recently have you?" Xander asked.

"The timing also troubles me." Giles went on. "A violent killing of this nature on or near Halloween...it seems familiar. And not, I'm afraid, in a good way."

* * *

Sneaking off campus was not necessary for most seniors. As they were allowed to leave school grounds for lunch. For John however, who had an over protective mother, some sneaking had been needed.

But he'd drawn the line at the next part of his and Charlie's lunchtime adventure. Which was why he was leaning against a lamp post outside a liquor store, conspicuously trying to look innocent.

Finally, his friend emerged from the store. The moment he was out of sight of the door and the front window, he showed John the fruits of his labors. A bottle of red wine, filched under the proprietor's very nose. Charlie had no aspirations to make thieving his life's work, but he was rather good at it.

"God," John laughed, "I can't believe we're doing this."

"Desperate measures." Charlie countered.

"It's illegal."

"It's harmless. And expected. Studies have shown that all teenagers have shoplifted at some point."

"What studies?" John rolled his eyes.

"Hey we could have avoided this whole thing if you'd just scored some of your mom's booze."

"Look my mom's a functioning alcoholic. She accounts for every-"

"John!"

John and Charlie froze.

_Oh crap._ John thought. He though his mom was in the lounge grading papers, like she usually was during lunch.

Kerri for her part was incredulous. Of all the days for John to pull this. To be someplace he wasn't supposed to be. For him in a manner of speaking, to be out of her sight. When she knew where he was she could feel a modicum of security. But if he was going off...

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, ignoring the horrified look on Charlie's face. He wasn't her responsibility.

Charlie just hoped she didn't notice the bulge under his jacket.

John tried to be non-nonchalant. "Nothing, just grabbing a little off campus lunch."

Kerri didn't care what the school said, she had her own rules for her son. "You're not allowed to have little off campus lunches John. You know that."

She glared at Charlie. He was essentially a good kid, but he did seem to be the one to encourage John into getting trouble.

She was too mad, and scared to talk about this now. She shook her head and turned away. "C'mon, I'll drive you back."

She led them towards the car, then stopped. No. She couldn't let this fester. If she didn't get this over with now it would just be worse for herself and for John later.

"You know what?" she handed Charlie the keys. "Get in the car, I'll be right there."

The moment Charlie headed for the car, Keri rounded on her son. "What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing?"

John ducked his head, not so much from the anger as expletive. His mother didn't swear.

"Mom I'm really uncomfortable with you saying that word." he mumbled.

"Well then don't put me in the position John. Do you know what today is?"

Like he could forget. All his life this day had been drummed into him. And it was beginning to grow tiresome.

"Of all the days for you to pull this shit," she went on, "What do you think you can do? Just, wander around town? I don't ask you for much, just give me this one day!"

And now John was through. He was through living in this shadow, he was through with his mother's bullshit. "Mom I've given you _17 years!"_

"And I need you to be responsible, do you know what that means?"

"Mom I am not responsible for you!"

People on the street looked at them awkwardly and hurried on.

"That's it I've had it." John went on. "He's dead. Okay? Michael Meyers is dead."

Keri looked down. The name itself was more taboo between them than the name of the day.

"What do you want me to say?" she asked softly.

"That it's over?" he suggested. This couldn't go on. It would destroy them if she couldn't get past this. "That we should try to go on with some semblance of a happy existence. Because all the shit that's going on in your head is leaking out on me and I can't take it anymore." This wasn't exactly how or where he'd pictured this conversation happening. But it was out now and he had to go with it or he may never have the courage to confront her again.

"You told me yourself you watched him burn."

"I didn't exactly stay to see his ashes." Keri couldn't even look at John. The weight of 20 years of annual terror was pressing down on her and add to that the hurt she could hear in her son's voice...

"Mom it's been 20 years. Don't you think he would have shown up by now? What's he waiting for huh?" He waited for her to answer, but she didn't. So finally he gave up and headed for the car.

"Okay Mom. I can't live like this. I'm sorry."

She spun, remembering what she had just been talking to Will about at lunch. "What does that mean?"

"If you want to stay handcuffed to your dead brother that's fine, but you're not dragging me along. Not anymore."

to be continued...


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

One nice thing about living in Southern California was that it rarely got too chilly to enjoy a lunch on the lawn.

"So are we still having the party?" Cordelia wanted to know. Because if not she had other things she could do tonight. "'Cause if not I've got other things I can do tonight."

"Yes." Buffy said determinedly. "Yes we are. With candy, and pizza and soda and scary movies and music."

"And scary stories." Willow added enthusiastically.

Cordelia glowered at her. "Is that just a euphemism for researching monsters?"

Willow looked cowed. "Maybe."

"So aside from the extra snacks, and movies, this is gonna be just a typical night for us isn't it." the Queen of Sunnydale sighed. "I miss being blissfully ignorant."

"Hey look on the bright side." Xander said. "We get to listen to Buffy nitpick about Vampire movies."

"It's a good show." Oz nodded.

"I don't nitpick." Buffy huffed. "Do I nitpick?" she asked Willow.

"Yes but it's half the fun sweetie."

* * *

When Molly opened her locker to get her books for her afternoon classes, she found a surprise waiting for her. A bouquet of flowers, and a folded piece of notebook paper.

It was the kind of thing that could be either very sweet, or very creepy, depending on who left them. She thought it sweet, as she was pretty sure it was John who had left them. He knew the combination of her locker after all.

When she unfolded the paper she smiled, recognizing his handwriting. It turned out to be a map of the school, leading, of all places, to a storage room in the basement.

Basements in general tended to have a somewhat spooky atmosphere. And as Molly went deeper into the maze of hallways she began to feel more and more on edge. Just what was John-

Suddenly someone jumped from the shadows, grabbing her by the shoulders. She barely had time to scream in surprise and fear before she recognized the feel of those hands.

John shushed her, stifling a laugh. He couldn't help going for the jump scare, but he didn't want to spoil the real surprise.

He flipped on the light, revealing a room decorated for a small, intimate Halloween party.

"So it occurred to me that I'd never actually celebrated Halloween before." John told her.

Molly had noticed. In the four years she'd known him, he'd made himself somewhat scarce on Halloween.

"How come?" she asked.

"Well I've got a psychotic killer in my family who likes to cut people up on Halloween. It always just seemed kind of bad taste to celebrate it."

Oh. Wow. Okay. "So what's changed?"

"Well there comes a point in life when you need to focus on what's right about it."

Molly smiled. She liked where this was going.

"And you, are a shining example of what's right. And tonight, you're getting my full attention."

Tonight was going to be wonderful. Molly could feel it.

* * *

The class was discussing Frankenstein. Xander had watched the movie. But he felt he was ahead of the curve slacker-wise as he'd watched the Kenneth Branagh version. That was pretty close to the book right? Still, he hoped he wouldn't be called upon to join in the discussion. Just in case. Plus it was always hard to focus during the last class of the day.

For her part, Buffy had just been stuck on the whole reanimating the dead thing. She'd confronted people who'd done that in real life. So she'd balked at reading the book, or seeing the movie. But she liked what Molly said, about Ol' Doc Frankie needing to confront his creation. She'd tried doing the running away thing and it only caused problems.

Distracted, she glanced out the window. And the hairs on her arm stood on end. The view from their class room looked out on the street. And there, across the road, stood a shape that one might think was innocuous. It was a guy wearing a mask on Halloween. No biggie. But, the way he was just standing there, staring at the school. It creeped her out. Her Slayer sense was tingling.

Suddenly the bell rang, startling her.

"Okay everyone," Keri said, dismissing the class, "Have a good time."

Buffy retrieved her bag from under her seat, and glanced out the window. The figure was gone.

"John," Keri called to her son. Reluctantly, he went to her desk to see what she wanted.

* * *

Buffy dashed across the street to where she'd seen the masked figure. Nothing was supposed to happen on Halloween. Those were the rules. It meant that Buffy was allowed to take a night off. But the sight at the window coupled with what Faith had found had her on edge.

"Please just be a regular old creeper." she muttered. She could find him, take him out, and party.

* * *

"What?"

This was one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do. Retrieving the permission slip from her desk gave her an excuse to have her back to him. That allowed her a moment to compose herself. Steel herself against the terror of letting her only son out of her sight.

Finally, she turned, and held it out to him.

"It's a permission slip." she said, as he took it suspiciously. "Bus leaves in an hour. Better pack quick." He had time, they lived within a block of the school.

* * *

There was no sign of the man she'd seen from the window, but Buffy was, among other things, a hunter. She had instincts. And being the Slayer, though she and Giles didn't get into it much, gave her a little extra something besides.

She took a right, angling away from the school. And sure enough, peering around a corner, she spotted a blue jumpsuit disappear around a hedge.

* * *

John could hardly believe it. He was excited, and proud, and...now he felt guilty. "Mom, I don't have to go."

"Go." Keri said firmly. The firmness was as much for herself as for him. She needed to convince them both that this was okay.

"Are you sure?" he smiled.

"Yes, it's fine. It's good for you. It's good for me."

* * *

There was no one behind the hedge. Buffy didn't recognize the house she now found herself facing. But there were no Halloween decorations up. She always found that somewhat creepy.

* * *

"Just call." Keri smiled. "And call, and call." She was teasing him, but at the same time... "And when you feel like you've called too many times? Call one more time."

John smiled, and hugged her. "Thanks Mom."

* * *

Whoever she had seen duck behind the hedge must be around here somewhere. Buffy had just about made up her mind to go check the back yard of this house when a hand closed on her shoulder.

She spun, hands balling into fists, rearing back to strike, only to freeze in shock and humiliation.

John Tate stood behind her, having nimbly leaped out of striking range. "Woah! Hey calm down Buffy, it's just me."

"Jeeze, John, I'm so sorry. I'm just, uh, a little jumpy I guess." She debated whether or not to mention the creeper she'd spotted, and decided against it.

"Sokay." he smirked. "It's Halloween. I guess we're all entitled to one good scare right?"

to be continued...


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

John of course, was not packing. He was instead dialing his girlfriend's number, and wondering why Buffy had been staring at his house. He supposed it was because it had been the only one on the block, indeed, in several blocks, that had no decorations up.

Still he couldn't help a slight twinge of uneasiness about it. Buffy was known to be kind of an odd duck. Was it her instant choice of fight when it came to fight or flight when he'd startled her that had him checking the window to the back yard? That had had him feeling like someone was staring from the hedge? It must have been. There was no one there. Or maybe his mother's paranoia was getting to him.

"Hey." Molly's voice was exactly what he needed to hear just now. "What did your Mom want?"

"She changed her mind about Yosemite." he said, looking at the permission slip.

There was a trace of uneasiness in Molly's tone. "So, you're going?"

John smirked, and crumpled the slip in his hand. "I wouldn't say that." This had mostly been to throw his mother off the track. Which granted did have him feeling a tad guilty.

* * *

"It's almost a shame that nothing happens on Halloween this year." Giles mused aloud as he watched the kids board the buses that would take them away.

"Bite your tongue." Buffy said, shocked.

"Well I just mean," he said a bit defensively, "Of all the times for so many potential victims to be out of harm's way, it has to be on a night they should be perfectly safe anyway." After the buses were gone, he sighed and turned to his Slayer. "Right. Now tell me more about this ehm, creeper, you saw?"

* * *

Sunset in Sunnydale. Normally it was a time those who knew what went on in town dreaded. But tonight the only monsters on the loose were of the fake variety. Or so most thought.

Not that there were many people in town who really knew what went on. And Ronnie was not one of them. Of course he was new in town so he could be forgiven for that. He had noticed the unusually high mortality rate among teenagers here. Particularly for a small town. But like most, he somehow dismissed it. He put it up to the usual things. Bizarre accidents. Gang related violence. That was why he'd been hired.

It was almost time for him to go out on rounds again, but with Snyder gone, he felt that he could use his time as he saw fit. And right now he needed his wife's input on his latest attempt.

He read the latest scene to her over the phone, leaning back in his chair. He was pleased with how it was going, particularly since his audience seemed to be approving.

There was no 'security office' so to speak in the school, but Ronnie had been given an unused office near the main drive so he could keep an eye on things. Which he actually thought was a little stupid. Surely if something were to go down, it wouldn't happen in such an obvious place.

He looked up from his notebook and frowned. A car had just pulled up in front of the school.

"Oh shit baby, someone's here. Can I call you back?"

"No no I'll hold on." she said. "I want to hear what stupid line Tanya falls for."

"The same one you did." he teased her. "Hang on."

Ronnie stepped outside the building, eying the idling car warily. As he got closer, he could see that there was no one in the driver's seat. He shone his flashlight in the window, checking the car. No one. The driver's side window was down, and he reached in, turning off the engine. This was creepy.

He cast a quick look around, then hurried back into his office. If he'd had any hair on the back of his neck, it'd be standing up right now.

He picked up the phone from where he'd rested it on the desk. "Baby I'm gonna have to call you back." he said.

"Why what's goin' on?" She was worried. Ronnie hadn't told her all the stuff he'd heard about the town and the school, but she'd found out on her own. It was another reason she wanted him to go to work for her father. It would be a lot safer.

"I don't know." he admitted.

That was when the phone went dead. This, could not be good.

* * *

The usual crowd was in the library. The difference was of course, that the mood was not one of tense research or training, but light hearted revelry. There was food and snacks and drinks on one table, a TV appropriated from the AV room up on the circulation desk, and another table piled with arcane texts.

"Do please endeavor not to get dip, crumbs, or greasy fingerprints on the arcane texts." Giles said.

Willow gave him a fake scowl. "Giles, when have I ever gotten any of those on the books?" There was usually some sort of food during their research projects after all. And of course she was the one who did most of the researching.

Now was no exception, though Oz was finding a book about Urban Legends (and how true many of them actually were) rather interesting.

While the others were mostly enjoying the party, Giles was hard at work. Given that there were very few exceptions to the Demons Staying In tradition for Halloween, it hadn't taken long to discount those as possibilities. They didn't quite fit with what Faith had found, or the figure Buffy had seen from the classroom.

That left something far more disturbing. He was so much more comfortable when dealing with Demons and Spirits. They had rules, patterns. Their behavior was predictable, understandable if not condonable. Humans on the other hand...

He started looking into the various religious sects and cults, from the earliest days of Halloween. He gradually ruled out the more ritualistic groups. The slaying of the Demon, and the masked man did not fit. But the timing still seemed important. Adding the strength and brutality it would have taken to kill the demon, and the wearing of a mask, to the date...

"Oh good Lord."

* * *

It was already dark by the time Keri Tate left for home. On her way out she heard laughter from the library. Giles' crime club, burning the midnight oil as usual.

At least someone was enjoying themselves tonight. Herself she expected to spend the evening trying to live up to her promise to John and herself to forget...

Something was walking towards her. A humanoid shape, but any details and features were hidden by the shadows cast by the parking lot lights. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. He wasn't really there. But when she opened her eyes, he was still there, still coming. She tried again. In the past this had been enough to dispel the hallucinations. But again when she opened her eyes he was even closer. He passed under one of the lights and she could clearly see the death-like mask, the familiar jumpsuit.

Desperately, she closed her eyes again.

_Not real, not real, not real._

He grabbed her arm.

With a cry, she jumped back and opened her eyes.

"Woah!" Will started, rearing back himself. "I keep scaring you today." he laughed sheepishly. "What are you doing?"

Keri struggled to regain her composure, finally succeeding. "Nothing." she said. "What are you doing?"

"Working late, like you. I was hoping I could have the honor of your company tonight."

This, this might be just what she needed.

"I'd like that."

* * *

After Charlie and John boosted Sarah and Molly through a window, the girls helped Charlie up and in. Then John passed them the supplies they'd plundered from their various homes. And of course the booze Charlie had gotten earlier. Just as he was about to follow them, a rustling in the brush caught his attention.

He spun, searching the darkness.

The others called to him to come on in. After a moment he decided that his mother's paranoia must be rubbing off on him, and he dismissed it. He climbed in the window without another glance.

* * *

"Giles what's wrong?" Willow asked, her face going from peaceful happiness to worry in 0 seconds.

Buffy sighed. "Really Giles? Can't I have just _one_ week where you don't say that?"

Giles couldn't blame Buffy for her irritation. Whether he always acknowledged it or not, he was fully aware that fate had dealt Buffy a bad hand. He would love to give her more than just a night off if he could. But it wasn't up to either of them. So he ignored her gibe.

"I believe I know what's going on." he said. "I'll need to contact the council for confirmation, but I believe that someone in Sunnydale has been placed under the curse of Ahroun."

* * *

Tonight called for the good stuff. Keri had determined that tonight, in addition to finally letting her son out of her sight, she would take another step towards "recovery" by telling Will all about her secret, sordid past.

And if she was going to do that, the usual just wouldn't cut it. She pulled the bottle of vodka out of the freezer and filled a glass just a touch more than half full. She downed it fairly quickly on her way to the bathroom.

She also hoped to do other things with Will tonight. Things that would be more pleasant for him if her breath didn't smell like a Russian distillery. A quick rinse with some mouthwash would take care of that. She knew that from experience.

For a moment, she looked at herself in the mirror. Trying to reconcile the sight before her with the innocent good girl she'd been 20 years ago. When she'd first started drinking, she thought for sure she'd be able to keep it under control. She hated the taste of most alcoholic beverages after all. That had eventually turned out not to be the case, as she liked the numb feeling booze gave her, more than she disliked the taste.

With a sigh she turned away.

_Fresh start remember? Letting John grow up, letting myself let go. That means not dwelling on my own shit too._

When she opened the door to Will, she even managed to be genuine with her small laugh at the pumpkin he held in his arms.

"I thought we could do this right." he smiled.

To Be Continued...


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"God I love food." Sarah said to Charlie as they loaded up trays. Rather than steal the cafeteria's food (and really, who would want to do that?) they had stashed food here earlier. Some of it was home made, some of it was take out. "I really do. I hope you don't mind if I get all big and dumpy."

Charlie grinned. He had no problem with that. In his mind and in his eyes she would always look just the way she did now. Hot, and slightly goth. "Not at all." he assured her. "I've always found obesity to be very sexy."

She looked at him wide eyed, not sure if he was pulling her leg or not. She decided she didn't care. "That is so Renaissance!"

As they snuck down the halls, being careful not to run in to Ronnie, they also made sure not to make too much noise when they passed the library. Buffy and her friends were in there. Not that they thought Xander, Willow or any of the rest would rat them out, but there was the librarian. By all accounts he was kind of cool, but he was still a member of the faculty. Duty bound to report them and all.

* * *

"All right," Buffy sighed, "What's the curse of Ahroun?"

As he often did when in spooky lecture mode, Giles pulled more books from the shelves as he spoke. "It's a druidic curse, dating from the height of the druids' power. Certain pagan sects performed sacrifices on the feast of Samhain-"

"Like the Wicker Man." Xander guessed.

Giles frowned at the interruption. "Slightly. On the surface of it, the curse was designed to provide for sacrifices. But most often, the curse was used by dark druids to punish traitors or eliminate enemies."

He found the book he was looking for, and laid it on the table. On the page he indicated was a picture of an engraving. It showed a group of men in robes and masks performing a ritual. "A member of the target's family, usually the first born son, would ehm, be compelled to wipe out his entire family line."

Willow winced.

"Druids didn't do anything halfway huh." Oz remarked.

"Okay," Faith shrugged, "So who in Sunnydale managed to piss off an ancient bunch of druids?"

There was silence for a moment as they all pondered that.

"Doesn't Miss Tate keep getting freaked out this time of year?" Cordelia asked.

* * *

When Keri told Will that she was not who she said she was, about her real name, he had not taken her seriously. Perhaps starting all this with making out wasn't the best plan. It had put him in the wrong frame of mind. She couldn't decide if it was making it easier or harder to talk about.

On the one hand, the light air was somewhat comforting. But she couldn't help but think about what would happen when he realized she wasn't kidding.

"What did you do?" he asked, between kisses. "Rat out the mob?"

"My brother killed my sister." she told him. "When she was seventeen."

"Well that's...sucky." he laughed. Ordinarily, Will would have been more serious right now. But the blood was not flowing to his brain at the moment and he couldn't really process that her dark back story could be this dark. He'd figured it had all to do with John's father.

"How did he do that?"

"With a really big, sharp, kitchen knife."

"That's terrible. Take off your blouse."

Okay now she wanted him to stop being light hearted. "You said you'd listen."

Will sighed, and lay back on the couch. He was starting to get that this was not a game. But surely she wasn't really saying...

"They locked him up for a long time, but he got out." This was turning out to be easier to say out loud than she'd thought. "And he came after me. I got away, but he killed a lot of my friends. It happened-"

"On Halloween." he finished. It was a rather famous story, if you were interested in true crime.

"You've heard this story." she said. It wasn't a surprise. It had been a pretty big media frenzy, which had not helped her peace of mind.

"Who hasn't? Michael Meyers. That was about 20 years ago."

"1978."

Will wasn't quite ready yet to connect Keri with Lauri, so he deflected slightly, talking about the Strode girl as if she were still a separate person. "And the girl, what happened to the sister, she died right?"

Keri shook her head, willing for now to play along. "No she faked her death. And now she's an English teacher at a high school in southern California." She swallowed. "Hoping, and praying every year, that her brother won't find her."

* * *

"Well that's interesting." Willow said. After everyone recovered from Cordelia having a useful insight, she had gone online to look for anything in Ms. Tate's past that could connect her to evil druids.

"What's that Will?" Buffy asked. She was still bummed that her night off was turning out be, well, on.

"I can't find anything on Ms. Tate past when she married John's dad."

The others crowded around her to look at the photo that accompanied the wedding announcement.

"Wait, wait wait." Xander muttered. "Willow look up the name Laurie Strode." When he was younger, Xander had gone through a True Crime phase. It had come in slightly useful last year when they'd been investigating a group of Immortal serial killers.

Again with the unexpected sources of clues.

"You know the whole serial killer fascination is creepy right?" Cordelia muttered to him.

Willow did the search, and it did not take long for her to find what they were looking for. A few old newspaper articles about a one-night killing spree that seemed to have been centered around a single target. Willow put a photo of Laurie up on the screen beside a photo of Ms. Tate.

"Curiouser and curiouser." Oz murmured.

"But that still doesn't explain why she's being targeted." Buffy mused. As she spoke, she headed for the weapons. "Well I guess that doesn't matter. That masked creeper is in for a heck of a beating for ruining my night off."

"Hold up B." Faith said, hurrying after her. "Remember this guy took out a pretty nasty demon."

"So?"

"So there's no way you're bogarting all the beatings."

Willow scanned the news stories as quickly as she could. "It says here that Ms. Tate was adopted when she was a baby. Something about, oh look another horrible murder. Goody."

"Perhaps her birth family had something to do..." Giles trailed off. He had spotted the name of the killer, and of Keri's birth parents. "Meyers. Her own brother. Definitely the curse of Ahroun." He turned to see the Slayers arming themselves. "Both of you be very careful. The curse makes those affected extremely formidable. Not just in strength and brutality, but durability. He will be very hard to stop."

"Cutting off the head usually works." Faith shrugged. "But thanks for the warning."

Willow bit her lip, still reading the articles. "But I still don't get why that family got cursed."

The watcher thought for a moment, then picked up the phone. "Perhaps the council will be able to shed some light on the subject. They have more records of Dark Druidic Sects than I."

* * *

"Explains a lot doesn't it." Keri said wryly, handing the vodka bottle to Will.

Will was still trying to come to grips with what he had just heard. "So, you have been living with this for 20 years?"

She nodded, perching on the arm of the couch. She found that the fear had not, in fact, lessened with the telling. Nor had the grief of that long ago night. But the pressure was not there anymore. She had let it out and she did feel less...restrained.

"But honey," Will tried to comfort her, "You don't think that after all this time he'd still be coming after you do you?"

"He sat in a sanitarium for 15 years waiting for me." she told him. That was partly why she couldn't let go of the thought of him showing up even after two decades. When they couldn't even explain that, how could she believe that a mere 20 years meant he was done with her? "And then, one night...he decides to go trick or treating."

"How old were you?" Will asked. He was trying to draw as much out of her as possible. He believed now, more than ever, that much of what had been tormenting Keri had been her silence.

Keri glanced up at him, then something caught her eye. Visible just above Will's head, sitting on the mantle, was the birthday card John's father had sent him. "Happy 17th birthday" it said.

Whether the timing suddenly made sense or whether the sight of the card coupled with reliving that fateful night merely brought her old anxieties back, she would figure out later. Either way, her fear for her son suddenly slammed into her with renewed force. "17." she whispered, horrified.

_To be continued..._


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Will followed Keri's gaze to the card, and then looked back at her, not understanding. "What?"

"Do you think they made it to Yosemite?" she asked. She hurried to the phone. "Do you think they're there?"

This was all happening pretty fast for Will. He was used to dealing with troubled kids. Even in Sunnydale that didn't entail this kind of urgency. "I, don't know." Wait, her sister had been 17 when Michael killed her. Keri had been seventeen when he'd come after her. And now John was...did she think...was it possible?

"I just want to call John." she told Will. "I just want to see..." She picked up the phone and was about to dial, when she realized there was no dial-tone. She clicked the receiver a few times with no luck.

"What's wrong?" Will asked.

"The phone's dead." she told him. She dashed into John's room to try the phone in there, praying it wasn't what she thought it was. That phone too was useless. Then she saw John's bag sitting by his closet door. Checking inside she found his sleeping bag. John had never even left for Yosemite.

* * *

Buffy and Faith left the library as Giles called the council. There was a brief lull, then Willow asked;

"Do they know where-"

Buffy and Faith returned. "Where does Ms. Tate live?" Buffy asked.

Giles put down the phone. "Oh dear."

"What's wrong G?" Faith asked.

Before Giles could answer, the library door was yanked open. Cordelia, Willow, and Xander screamed and the Slayers whirled to face the intruder.

"Woah!" Ronnie yelled, holding out his hands.

Buffy and Faith stood down, and looked awkwardly at the security guard.

Giles broke the silence this time. "The phones are out." he said to Ronnie.

"Yeah I know. And there's a strange car parked outside but I can't seem to find any signs of trespassing." He looked at Faith. "You drive?"

"Hell no, I'm a biker chick." she smirked.

"Uh huh." he said, unimpressed. "Biker chicks often carry battle axes?"

"Only to really tough ren faires."

That earned her a small smile in return. He glanced ad Buffy, who was attempting to hide a sword behind her back. "What's your story? Snyder know you guys have this stuff?"

"Pretty sure if he did we'd all be expelled and/or fired." Xander told him.

Giles sighed. "Given the circumstances I don't believe we have time for lengthy explanations." he said. "The full story will have to wait until the threat has passed. Mr. Jones, there is an extremely dangerous individual on the loose, and judging by what you've said, probably somewhere in the school."

Ronnie nodded. "Got it. And you two were gonna hunt 'em down with collectibles?"

"They're perfectly functional." Giles said defensively.

At the same time Buffy said; "We kill monsters."

"A lot of 'em." Faith added.

Ronnie didn't have the time or the patience to argue. Faith certainly looked like the kind of girl you didn't mess with. And if Buffy wasn't just blowing smoke, she probably had some tricks up her sleeve. And he recognized a resolve face when he saw it.

"Guess I won't be able to convince you all to go home or stay put." he said. He drew his gun and checked it.

"Oh we'll stay put." Cordelia said with false cheer. "I'm totally good with hiding until the all clear sounds."

Ronnie looked at the Slayers. "Try not to get in my line of fire. Kay?"

* * *

"Chaaaaarlieeee." Sarah called, entering the cafeteria. After bringing the food down to their basement hideaway, Charlie had realized he'd forgotten the wine and come back for it. After several minutes he had not returned. Annoyed, Sarah had come to look for him. "Come on Charlie we're all waitin' for ya." She entered the cafeteria's kitchen, and still saw no sign of her boyfriend.

"Hello, inconsiderate, party of one, your table is ready." No answer. She gave a frustrated sigh. "Hey no sex games until I've eaten okay?"

Charlie did like to do that whole, hiding and jumping out at her thing. Often she enjoyed it, but she was not in the mood right now. Right now she wanted food, wine, good times with friends, and _then_ good times with just her boyfriend.

Turning a corner, she had to stop suddenly or else she would run into the open door of one of the ovens.

"Crap that would've sucked." It was so dark in here. She should have turned on the light.

Fortunately the switch was nearby. "I mean it." she said, to wherever Charlie was hiding. "Not now."

She flipped on the light and turned back to close the oven. Charlie's body was inside, eyes wide with surprise, mouth open. His throat had been cut, and he had barely had time to realize anything had happened before he had died.

Sarah on the other hand...

Her first thought was that this was a really sick joke on Charlie's part. One that would assure him no date with her until there was some serious groveling. But she could smell the blood. And she knew deep down, what happened in Sunnydale, was rarely funny.

She turned to run, only to see her exit blocked. A man stood in the doorway she had just come through. He was dressed like a janitor, save for the mask, and holding a very big knife.

Sarah's shock caused her to hesitate just a bit. Just long enough for the Shape to start towards her. Swiftly, she dove for the counter separating the kitchen from the cafeteria.

If not for the sneeze guard she might have made it.

She was halfway over when she felt the knife carve into her right thigh. Sarah screamed, and wrenched herself forward, pulling the blade from her flesh as she fell to the tile floor on the far side of the counter.

She gasped in shock and pain, but still, her survival instincts drove her on. She tried to rise, hoping she'd be able to at least limp to the cafeteria doors. She had no plan beyond that. But the agony that shot through her leg the moment she put even the slightest weight on it floored her.

Screaming again, she began to crawl across the floor.

Behind her, the masked shape strode calmly after her, a lion stalking a wounded deer. Sarah could hear him behind her, not falling behind, nor catching up. As her life-blood trailed behind her, her mind became fuzzy. She could not tell if she were escaping or not, she could only think that she must keep going. She was almost to the door. Somehow she had eluded her pursuer just long enough. Perhaps once she got out of the cafeteria she would find help.

Just as she reached the door however, the Shape seemed to decide the game was done. With a few quick strides he was upon her, stabbing the knife down into her back over and over. She did not scream again.

* * *

"You know those two have been gone awhile." John said mildly, sitting up. Not that he minded the alone time with Molly, but them all hanging out together had been kind of the point.

"What do you think they're doing?" Molly asked mischievously.

"Dunno. Kind of rates a cheap scare don't you think?" he grinned.

The school was dark as they made their way casually up to the cafeteria.

"You think they skipped right to desert?" Molly giggled.

John automatically tried the lights when the entered. His first thought when they didn't turn on was that it was just as well. What had he been thinking? They didn't want Ronnie to find them. Then he started wondering why the lights had not turned on, and a tiny prickle of worry began to form in the back of his mind.

The prickle grew as, when they went further into the room, his foot slid slightly in something wet on the floor.

He glanced down, and saw a trail of a dark, reddish liquid on the tiles, leading into the kitchen.

"What the hell?" The couple began to follow the trail, a bad feeling mounting. "This is a sick joke."

The trail led to the walk in freezer in the back of the kitchen.

_I really shouldn't do this._ John thought, as he reached out to flip on the light.

This time the light worked, revealing Sarah's body, hanging from one of the hooks dangling from the ceiling.

Molly gasped in horror, and John backed away.

_She was right!_

Without stopping to think, they turned to run, only to see Sarah's killer step around a corner.

John's heart froze at the sight of the mask he'd heard so much about over the years. He prayed his mother was all right, but he couldn't worry about that now.

Grabbing Molly's arm, he ran from the cafeteria, pulling her along. They pelted down the hallways, but at an intersection Molly had to stop. She had a stitch in her side from dinner.

"What are we going to do?" she sobbed.

John sucked in a breath, trying to get his thoughts together. He was still stuck on; _Mom was right_. "Okay, we're gonna get to my house," he said, "And we'll call the police."

The shape reached out of the shadows and seized Molly by the hair. She screamed as he pulled her towards him. John leaped to her rescue, punching the masked killer in the face.

The shape released Molly, but gave John a rough shove, pushing him to the floor. The blade of his knife came down, stabbing into the boy's thigh. He brought the knife up, ready to finish the job, when Giles' mace slammed into the back of his head, knocking him away.

Giles didn't waste time. He knew they didn't have long before Michael was up and after them.

"Help him." He ordered Molly. "Get him to the library, hurry."

Molly did as he told her, helping John to his feet and supporting him as they retreated. Giles could barely make out in the dim corridor, Michael Meyers getting to his feet.

He held the mace at the ready as the children entered, with Xander and Oz's added help.

He spun to follow them, only to bump into Keri Tate, who was looking frantic.

"Bugger!" he yelled in surprise.

"Rupert what-" Will asked.

"Not now, get inside!" He shoved them in, barely dodging Michael's swipe with his knife. Keri slammed and locked the door behind him, and froze.

There, framed in the window of the door, was her brother's masked face. She stared, unblinking. Shock overpowered her fear and she found herself actually fascinated for a moment. She stared into those black, devil's eyes for several seconds before she came to her senses.

By the time she'd retrieved her revolver from her pocket and looked back, he was gone.

_To be continued..._


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Will couldn't help but notice that Giles and the kids in the library seemed somewhat practiced at dealing with injuries. They quickly cleared off the table and got John onto it.

"What happened?" Keri asked, turning from the door.

"He's been stabbed." Molly sobbed. Cordelia took her arm and pulled her away from the table just far enough to give Giles room.

Giles gave the stab wound a quick, but thorough look. "Right." he said. "We need to get him to the hospital."

"But that man is still out there?" Molly said, not quite calmed down yet.

"Who was that?" Will asked, though he feared he knew the answer.

"My brother." Keri answered. She noticed that no one seemed surprised. Later she'd have to have a talk with Giles about all this. Right now she was remembering how she hadn't been much safer at the hospital when Michael had come for her. Still, Giles was right. The wound on John's leg was serious.

"Will is your car still in the parking lot?" she asked.

As she only lived a block from the school, he had walked to her house that evening. When the phones had been cut at her home, they had come to the school to try their luck there.

"Yeah." he said uncertainly.

* * *

"Should we be letting this guy take point?" Faith whispered to Buffy. They were both following closely behind Ronnie as he searched the school for Mr. Curse of Ahroun.

"Just be ready to tackle him out of the way if Meyers gets up close and personal." Buffy whispered back.

Faith leered. "Not a problem at all."

"I'm married and you're underage." Ronnie said. "Your whispering could use some work."

* * *

Will, Giles and Keri escorted John and Molly towards the exit. It had been a hard decision leaving Xander and the others behind, but Giles had decided he'd rather have the 'primary targets' protected by someone who knew what they were doing than sending them off on their own. He'd wanted to leave Molly with them, but she wouldn't leave John's side.

He'd made sure the kids hid and armed themselves. The plan was for Keri and the others to get to the car, and head for the hospital, while he went back for the children.

It was a good enough plan. One that he was sure would somehow go horribly wrong. And possibly end with him getting hit over the head or something.

They were nearing the exit when a figure came around the corner ahead of them. Panicking, Will grabbed the gun from Keri and opened fire. Most of his shots went wild, but one must have hit because the figure collapsed.

"What the hell?" a furious female voice cried out.

Buffy and Faith charged out, weapons at the ready. It was probably lucky that the gun was empty.

Will stared in horror, as he saw who it was that was lying on the floor. Ronnie the security guard, with blood seeping from his scalp.

Faith snatched the gun away from Will and glowered at him.

Keri was near tears as she joined Buffy at Ronnie's side. Will just stammered.

"I thought, I thought..."

It was Giles who first saw the classroom door open behind the Guidance Counselor. But it was Faith who first reacted. Michael was only halfway out when the slayer's boot caught the door, slamming it shut on the silent man.

Faith had to admit that the lack of any sound from him was disconcerting. That kick should have at least cracked his ribs, but he didn't so much as grunt, though he staggered as if he were in pain. Faith didn't hesitate to follow up her attack. She seized Michael's wrist in one hand and the front of his jumpsuit in the other. Lifting him off the floor, she slammed him down with as much force as she could muster.

"Get out of here!" she shouted at the others. Giles had warned them that the curse made it's victims exceedingly brutal. Well that was just fine. She could do brutal.

Buffy scooped Ronnie up in her arms, ignoring the shocked looks of the others.

"Come on." she said. "He's alive." She led the way out of the building.

Faith didn't let up for one second. She knew she couldn't afford to give Michael a second to get his bearings. She pummeled him with her fists until he finally collapsed, falling limply to the floor.

Somewhere in the melee, Faith had lost her ax.

* * *

For all the grief some environmentalists may have given him about it, Will was very glad at that moment that he drove an SUV. He helped Buffy get Ronnie into the back seat, astonished at her strength. The moment the unconscious guard was safely in, Buffy turned towards the school.

"Where are you going?" he demanded. "That lunatic is still in there!"

"So's Faith." Buffy said. She had no time to get into the whole 'killing monsters was her job' bit.

Keri made sure that John and Molly were in the car, then she too looked to the school. Giles was already heading for the doors as well, no doubt to make sure the kids in the library were okay.

"Mom?" John said uncertainly. It had not escaped his notice that she had not joined them in the car.

"Will," Keri said after what felt like an eternity, "Get them to the hospital. Make sure they're okay."

"Keri what-"

"Mom!"

"I'll be right behind you." she assured them.

Her brother would not stop. She knew that now for certain now. And she had lived with this terror for too long. Even if they escaped tonight, she knew she couldn't go on this way.

* * *

Faith had no illusions about Meyers being down for the count. Blows that should have resulted in broken bones, had met with more resistance than was natural. But she judged that he would be down long enough for her to retrieve her ax Once she had that, she could finish the job.

No one had told her he could move as quickly, and as silently as he evidently could. When she had picked up her weapon and turned around, she found him right behind her, knife raised. With his free hand, he knocked the ax from her grasp, even as he brought his own weapon down in a deadly arc.

Only Faith's Slayer reflexes saved her from being killed on the spot. She twisted, and jerked back, avoiding the main thrust of the attack. The knife blade instead slashed down her chest, scraping against her ribs, tearing skin and flesh, but missing vital organs and major arteries.

Nevertheless, the pain was incredible. Faith gasped and fell back A second slash of the knife caught her hip, biting deep. Her right leg went completely numb, and she fell to the floor. Fury fought with physical agony for control. She refused to be cut down like some victim of a horror film. Rather than try to crawl away, Faith lashed out with her left leg. She caught Meyers in the hip, knocking him out of knife range.

"Michael!" Keri Tate's angry, and defiant yell cut through the air. The white masked man spun, his attention drawn from his current opponent.

"Michael!" Keri called again.

She stood in the hallway, Faith's ax clutched in her hand. Michael began to stalk towards her. He didn't have the element of surprise this time, nor was she the terrified little girl she had been last time they'd met. This time, she was an angry mother.

The moment he was in range, she swung the ax, embedding it in his shoulder. He barely flinched, raking his knife down her bicep. But she'd pulled away just in time and and wound was only a scratch. But she'd lost her grip on the ax. She scrambled away. Now that she had his attention, she needed a new weapon.

Michael ripped the ax from his body, and dropped it before following her.

Buffy had stopped briefly to make sure Faith was alright, only to have the injured Slayer snap at her that she was fine. Faith did not like to lose fights. Buffy figured if the girl had the energy to yell at her, she would be okay. At least long enough to finish this.

She caught up with Michael before he'd gotten far. He heard her coming and spun to meet her attack. Buffy swept her sword in a descending arc, slicing across Michael's chest. He staggered back, and she followed up with a kick that knocked him into a nearby classroom. Moving quickly, Buffy executed a leg sweep that knocked Michael from his feet, onto his back. Before he could recover, she stabbed down with the sword, with all her strength.

The blade slid all the way through the killer's body and deep into the floor, pinning him like an insect on display. Buffy stepped back to assess the situation. Michael was still moving, but pinned effectively. That was good. But she didn't have another weapon on hand to finish the job. And she had the sneaking suspicion that if she took her eyes off him for even a moment, she would regret it.

She jerked her leg back to avoid a swipe of Michael's knife. Hmm, that knife would do in a pinch. She didn't know they made kitchen knives that big. She carefully stepped on his wrist, holding the hand still so she could pry his fingers away from the handle.

It was when she leaned down to do just that, that he grabbed one of the desks with his free hand. It made for an effective, if awkward bludgeon. The desk smashed over her head and knocked her away. The instant she was down, Michael grabbed the sword with one hand and wrenched it from the floor, and his body.

One heavy boot pressed against Buffy's chest, pushing her down when she tried to rise. Michael flung the sword away and prepared to plunge his knife into her face.

A fire extinguisher also makes for a good bludgeon, as Keri now learned. The heavy thudding clang as it collided with her brother's head was very satisfying.

Buffy sprang to her feet. "Thanks Ms. Tate."

"Are you okay?"

"Fine." Buffy sniffed. "But I just know Snyder's gonna blame me for that desk."

Michael started to rise.

"Oh no you don't." Buffy scolded him. Grabbing his jumpsuit by the waist with one hand, and the neck with the other, she bent him backwards at the waist, throwing him off balance. She then took two steps, and heaved him into the air, and threw him out the window.

"Go get the ax!" she called back to Keri, following him. "I've got an idea!"

Keri did not like the idea of Buffy facing off against her brother alone. But then, she'd actually been a year younger than this girl when she'd gone through her ordeal. And Buffy certainly seemed to be able to handle herself appallingly well. So she did as the girl had suggested.

By the time she had retrieved the ax and climbed out the broken window, Buffy had driven Michael back to the stairs that led up to the second floor balcony overlooking the courtyard.

Buffy forced him up the stairs, praying this would work. As good as she was, she knew she couldn't keep up this pace forever. So far she'd been able to keep clear of Meyers' flashing blade, but eventually she would tire, and he'd get her. That was his true power, she decided. His relentlessness.

The deciding factor of course, would be whether or not Ms. Tate would get what Buffy was up to when the time came. Buffy was banking on her being as smart as she seemed.

She was working at a disadvantage here. Michael had the high ground and all it would take to screw up this plan was him falling forward instead of back. But she finally managed to get him to the top of the stairs. Then, with a devastating roundhouse kick, she sent him flying over the railing, and plummeting to the ground below.

"Now!" she shouted.

Keri had survived her first encounter with Michael because of her ability to improvise. And it wasn't hard to realize why Buffy had wanted her to get the ax Nor what Buffy meant now. When Michael Landed he would be down for just a moment. But a moment was all she would need.

She darted forward, the ax raised.

"Freeze! Drop the ax!"

_Really?_ Buffy thought. _Now the police actually show up?_

* * *

Fortunately it didn't take long for the Police to figure out that Buffy and Keri were the good guys. Which was a relief. Buffy had only had bad experiences with the police in the past. Maybe having a responsible adult explain things helped.

The problem was, now how were they going to make sure Michael didn't get back up and start killing people again the moment their backs were turned?

The coroner had declared him dead, which was confusing. Had he taken the man's pulse or was he just assuming? Either way, they were in the process of loading his body into the van when Keri sidled up to Buffy.

"You know he's not dead." she muttered.

"I kinda had that feeling yeah." Buffy agreed. "But how do we-"

"No we." Keri insisted. "Not this time. He's my brother, I have to face him."

"But-"

"Just distract them Ms. Summers."

Buffy had a bad feeling about this.

* * *

Keri watched as Buffy went to the police and coroners and began pestering them with inane questions. She got the feeling the girl didn't do this very often. But it worked. No one was watching the van as Keri climbed into the driver's seat. The keys were in the ignition which was convenient. She didn't have to hot wire it. Keri had learned how to do that shortly after she faked her death, just in case she needed it to make a quick getaway.

Buffy sighed with relief when Ms. Tate gunned the engine. She could stop embarrassing herself now. Then she remembered that Ms. Tate was about to face her brother alone. And family matter or not, the Slayer was not about to let that happen.

With her superior strength and speed, Buffy was able to outdistance the police who ran after the van. But she couldn't quite run as fast as the van itself. When she finally caught up to it, it was stopped in the middle of the road, on the outskirts of town.

"Oh I don't like the looks of this." Buffy said. She circled the van warily, finally seeing Michael lying in the street. The windshield was smashed, but to her relief, Ms. Tate seemed to be fine. She was staring at the prone figure.

"Get up." Keri hissed. "C'mon, get up!"

Buffy sighed as Michael sat up, and seemed to take a moment to collect himself. He turned to look at the van before rising.

The moment he got to his feet, Keri slammed on the gas, running Michael down.

Buffy gasped as the van collided with Michael, and then swerved off the road, careening down a hill.

"Oh Jeeze!" she cried, scrambling down the hill after it. Her first thought was for Ms. Tate, though she was keeping herself ready in case Michael _still_ wasn't dead. When she reached the driver's side door, she was relieved to see that Ms. Tate was okay. Well, maybe okay was overstating it.

Buffy opened the driver's side door and helped Ms. Tate out.

"You okay?" Buffy asked her.

"I'll live." Keri grunted. "Well I won't die from the crash anyway." It was hard to guarantee survival when there was a psychopath trying to kill you. With Buffy's assistance, she circled around to the front of the van.

Michael was caught between the front of the van, and a fallen tree. A broken branch had impaled him, further trapping him. He wasn't moving. He didn't look like he was even breathing. Then he twitched.

"Give me the ax." Keri said, almost sadly.

Wordlessly, Buffy did so.

"Michael."

The masked man had looking around like he wasn't sure what was happening. He even seemed to be surprised to find a mask on his face. When Keri called his name, he looked up at her, and reached out his hand.

At that moment, Buffy's blood froze. They'd been spending all this time trying to kill Michael, and somehow it had never occurred to them to try to break the curse. Had it been broken somehow? Now when it was probably too late? Like what had happened with Angel?

Keri hesitated, thinking along the same lines. Then she looked into his eyes. His black, empty eyes. And knew the truth. If ever she had truly had a brother named Michael, he had been gone since before she could remember. These were the same eyes she had stared into in the library. Whatever was living behind this man's eyes, it was purely, and simply, evil.

With a cry of anguish, rage, and primal triumph, Keri swung the ax, and cut off his head.

_To be concluded..._


	11. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

The Sunnydale Effect was in full force it seemed. The police finished their investigation quickly, and Sunnydale High was open for business the next day. John and Molly were absent of course, though in her case it might wind up being unexcused. Students weren't cut much slack when it came to bereavement.

Ms. Tate was out as well. There was talk that she had turned in her resignation.

Will was back at work though.

The bullet had only grazed Ronnie's skull. Though he was up ant about, it seemed he had rethought his career, and would no longer be working as a security guard. The talk was that his workman's comp benefits would actually allow him plenty of time to finish his novel. He was inspired by the events he'd survived, and decided to add a horror element to the tale. By the time the benefits ran out, he should know if the book would sell or not.

Faith was on the mend, but broodier than ever. Angel was pissed he'd missed a chance to save Buffy. The Scoobies and the Slayer were going about their regular post-horror routine, which served them well.

Giles reported all this to the council, and then got the information he'd been hoping for. Time to pay a visit to the Tates.

* * *

"Rupert! Come in." Keri invited, when she answered the door. She looked tired still, but somehow, lighter at the same time. She ushered him into the living room and invited him to sit.

"What brings you by?" Keri asked. "Checking up?"

"Partly." Giles admitted. "But I also...well I have some information for you."

"Is it about how Buffy was able to carry Ronnie to the car or why you have medieval weapons in the library?" Keri asked, smirking.

"Ah, yes. Uhm, about that, I do hope I can rely on your discretion-"

Keri laughed shortly. "Rupert if there's one thing I think you know I can do, it's how to keep a secret."

Giles smiled slightly. "Yes I imagine that would be the most important aspect of your life for the last two decades." He took a breath. "Well, suffice to say, that it has fallen on Buffy to deal with, shall we say, things that go bump in the night."

"What do you mean by 'things that go bump in the night'?"

"Ghosts, Demons, Vampires, and the like."

"So, the traditional definition then." Keri shook her head skeptically. "Rupert-"

"Ms. Tate, has it never occurred to you that the things your brother-"

"Michael." Keri interrupted. "Please don't call him my brother."

"Very well." Giles conceded. It was understandable after all. "Michael. Did it never occur to you that the things he's endured, no man could survive? You stabbed him in the throat-"

"I missed the jugular."

"Then you stabbed him through the eye. Was he missing one tonight?" That one, Keri had no answer to. "Dr. Loomis shot him six times, then burned him alive. Just tonight, Buffy slashed him with a sword, ran him through, and you bludgeoned him over the head with a fire extinguisher, ran him down with a van, and finally crushed him between said van, and a fallen tree.

"Now I am willing to grant that one or two of these he could have shrugged off simply by being 'too crazy to die'. I might even be willing to stretch it to three."

Keri was far less sure of herself now. "What are you getting at Rupert?"

"That your family line, was cursed."

That took Keri completely by surprise. "Cursed?"

"It's known as the Curse of Ahroun." Giles said, and went on to explain the particulars of the curse. Including a detail he had only recently discovered, that the curse was 'triggered' when a member of the family turned 17. "The good news is that with the death of Michael, the curse should be ended."

"But," Keri said, confused, "_Why_ would anyone put a curse on my family?"

"Your father, Charles Myers, was a member of an organization of occult scholars. An organization I too am a member of. His particular specialization was religious sects. He wrote his thesis on the evolution of pagan religions from ancient times to today...but, that's neither here nor there."

"As it happens, the last sect that Mr. Myers investigated before retiring to America, was a particularly distasteful one. Fond of the older, less civilized traditions. In particular, human sacrifice, and putting curses on their enemies."

"Did he, did my father know about this?" Keri wanted to know. It seemed like the kind of thing you take precautions for in that line of work.

"He did catch on when Michael killed your sister." Giles said, cleaning his glasses. "He contacted the Council soon after and begged them to find a way to break the curse. The only way, unfortunately is to cut off the head of the bearer."  
"Michael."

"Yes. Mr. Myers could not bear to kill his son, and besides which the boy was out of his reach anyway. It's because of the Curse that you were given up for adoption. Your parents hoped that if you were lost in the sea of red tape, that you would be safe."

Keri gave another sharp laugh. "Well, that didn't work did it."

Giles nodded. "I can't think how it was you were adopted by a family in the same town." Except maybe fate, but he decided not to get into that. "And I suspect the curse forged some sort of bond between you and Michael. Or else he's an extremely good investigator."

"But we're safe now?" Keri asked. "Now that Michael is dead?"

"Yes. Well, as safe as one can be in Sunnydale. I assure you, Buffy is a very busy girl."

Keri thought about the high death rate that Sunnydale students and faculty had. "Maybe...maybe John and I should leave." she said, almost to herself. "Find someplace less..." She couldn't think of the right word.

It didn't matter, Giles understood. "I would say that is a rather good idea." he nodded. "But in your considerations, I would avoid Cleveland."

**The End**


End file.
